Grace And Repentance : Grace

As we examine the heroes of the faith outlined for us in the Old Testament, we would be hard pressed to find a more faithful man that King David. After the death of King Saul, David became the King of the Hebrew people. David, who was meek and pious, steadfastly believed in the true God and tried to do His will. He had endured much persecution from Saul and other enemies but did not become bitter, did not lift his hand against Saul, as he was the Lord’s anointed, but placed all his hope in God, and the Lord delivered him from all his enemies.

In the book Rediscovering the Power of Repentance and Forgiveness, Dr. Leah Coulter seeks to challenge the conventional Christian approach to forgiveness. Conventional Christianity approaches forgiveness as a Christian duty, and, in many ways, this has been unfair to the victims who have almost been condemned for seeking justice rather than simply forgetting. She asks, "From an all too common Christian view, why must the weight and responsibility of forgiveness be placed on the sinned-against instead of the sinner's repentance?" (Coulter). Therefore, she focuses extensively on the idea of repentance and the duty of the sinner to repent. However, that is not to suggest that Coulter abandons the idea that forgiveness is a Christian imperative, but she attempts to place it within its Jewish context, and demonstrate how other facets of historical Judaism inform the practice of forgiveness and repentance.

God’s grace is a word frequently used to refer to “gift from God”. In many circles, it is theological defined as God’s unmerited favor (Hughes, 1998, Ryrie, 1963). Within this

There are many stories that revolve around God that if you do something wrong, it seems that you hurt God in the process because they watch over you and are always around you. Our souls are spiritually connected to them when we pray. When we ask for forgiveness from God(s), it gets rid of the negativity you are carrying within your soul. Others think of Forgiveness as a cleansing

Saul was the ideal king the Israelites desired. David was the king Israel needed. David was not tall or handsome but he was a man of God. When David defeated Goliath, not only did he fully trust God, David gave all the glory of his victory to God. David possessed the vital attribute that Saul never had, obedience to God. David trusted in God’s timing and plan. Despite David having the opportunity to kill Saul and reign over Israel , David continued to follow God's commands. In 1 Samuel 24:19-20 Saul said to David after spearing his life, “ When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands (NIV).” Unlike Saul David was obedient to God. God rewarded David for his obedience by anointing him King and later

God has mercy and grace for those that follow him even when at times we make mistakes.

When approaching the concept of grace, many people often assume that it is “other” - a mysterious force that exists beyond human understanding. They believe that grace is a divine gift that cannot be humanly grasped because of its supernatural nature. Others believe that mediated grace - God as experienced through the senses in a purely human manner - is a vital way to bridge the ontological gap (an extreme difference in being that separates the earthly and the divine). Christian theologians from the beginning of the faith have debated the qualities attributed to this phenomenon because of its sheer importance; when dealing with vastly different elements, such as humans and God, the

"What is grace? In the New Testament grace means God’s love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love. (Definition of God's Grace)

Grace is defined as “divine help or strength … given through the mercy and love of God.” This grace can help us serve beyond our capacity to love, and in the scriptures grace is frequently used to connote a strengthening or

The idea is that “churches can promote forgiving by promoting an environment that explicitly values forgiveness by preaching, teaching, and providing experiential opportunities that explicitly promote forgiveness (p.279).” (Enright & Magnusin, 2008, p. 115) Although churches teach forgiveness, in changing the way in which the message of forgiveness is delivered, the effects of change in the congregation as it relates to forgiveness should have greater rewards. It is essential, as the reading discusses to start these teachings in childhood and continue it through adulthood. I found it surprising that in general most churches probably don’t even teach forgiveness ten percent of the time. But the health of the church, both from the victim to the offender, is imperative for the church body. How can a church practice the love of God, when they are harboring unforgiveness in their hearts? Matthew 6:14-15 says “ For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” ( ESV) Forgiveness is the key to our spiritual growth and our ability to enter into the God’s presence in prayer and in

The unmerited favor of God expressed unto those who did nothing of their own power to earn this gift. Because of Christ Jesus obedience unto the death of the cross, the grace of God is given unto us through justification by faith unto righteous, when one truly repents for their sins, (Romans 5:17-19).

The ultimate goal here is to challenge the writer find a definitive reason for the downfall of King David who is said to be a man after God’s own heart.

The way of grace, are the ways God works grace into our spirits, from before the time we come to know him through the day we are magnified with Christ in the next lifetime. Some of the means are, denying ourselves and taking up our cross. Others are categorical and initiated, like prayer, probing Scripture, the Lord’s Supper, fasting, and attending Christian get-togethers. Even the infrastructure of Methodism, with its accentuation on discipleship and purification through small group amassments, may be viewed a means of grace.

The Lord Jesus Christ has granted us grace and by faith we work towards a divine fate.

Grace by itself is often synonymous with mercy, compassion or forgiveness.Similarly, the New Testament word for Grace comes from the Greek word charis, which means “favor, blessing, or kindness.” We can all extend grace to others; but when the word grace is used in connection with God, it takes on a more powerful meaning. God’s Grace chooses to bless us rather than curse us as our sin deserve.This fact is very important as it relates to our salvation which I will discuss in more detail in my next point.